•286 Whe Bedahs or Faddafti.
to.converse with the other natives;; b u t the wilder-class, known
by hhe .name of Ramba Vaddahs, ..are, more seldom seen even
by stealth than the most timid of the wild animals^
As the Bedahs. chiefly 'Jitee by <the produce of thet;ehac.e,
they acquire by habit an j^tonishing dextefltyasin, this employ?
ment.: They learn to stea l through i the bushes so warily, „and
silently, that they often come unperoeived within^ reach o f the
deer : when they throw their -little axes .so, dexterously,. that the
animal seldom Scapes alive, lioney* which i.s'ifouodin gijMf
abundance in every part Of their woods, - forms-: another •. article
o f ' their food, and also -Serves the. purposes of /salt, which-? it; is i
, Out of their power to procure. : They preserve thqir fleshjn honey,
and then place it in the hollowi of a tre.e,TOn a-. w^odep pase
well ehinamed, till: they haye^occasion :&>'»use it. This: honey,
which, they employ much of their:,’tunea-in
which they barter in,considerable quantities /Wjithsfhe Candians,
is also used by the latter; for '-a-Wariety of, -purposes. A prer
valent idea, that they employ it to embalm their. deadmmakes
many people on the coast averse to taste honeys from, the, ;fg|jf
o f having it only after it has served a former pqrposeand 1
must ©onfess that from. this prejudice, I.rfejft-mP grealt,;^^^-
nation to use any wild honey, unless it was brought „rdown
in combs.
The dogs of tlie Bedahs are remarkable for th e ir, ,sagacity,
and not only readily trace out game, but also distmgqbh qne
species .of animals from another. On the approach+^jf' any ^ |i"
nivorous animal, o r of a stranger, they immediately
masters upon their guard.. These faithful animals are indeed,
invaluable to them, and constitute their chief riches. When
their daughters are married, hunting dogs form their portion;
The Bedahs or Vaddahs. 287
and a Bedah is as unwill iftg‘ to part with his ,dog as an Arabian
with, his horsqAHpj^M dime ^before t h e ï s t war broke
out between us and Holland,-h Dutch officer procured a couple
o$$$be^dQg$ .which He carried to Surat, (land s e n i o r four
hundred ‘rix-dollarsi;
itó?Thoisé Bedahs who venture to cojiyqfsê. \nth th%|other nativés,
are represented.to be-courteous, and in address) far beyond.their
.state of civilization. Their religion *is little known. T-ljiey have
thêif inferior deities corresponding to the demons?of tbe.Cinglesej
and observe’certain festive: On%fchesi,e«> bcpas.iohs.’* Victuals' o f
various sdrtfi are kplacèdi(a^bM«root' óf ajare®/ and, the cerq—
momcflpèf' thè «festival ’GouSdSt» in jdancing^foun^ them.
‘ ^TutSe; few;' particulars 'lire alf that are^af present known b£
this remarkable people; ■ and in their’ savage «and .uncohhe'ried
stateplwïtliöttt- arts öfeqpoliey, tl&ih^hrC'. pfobaMy few more cir-'
■cumsuincV^’wbrflvj^oifyTKjtice' that ‘remaint tb^he known,. They:
are bafher_a'ii ’,o%ect ;óf curiosity, th a n , èjih^, osf,l qtility c/r. ap-
prcnemuon^tt)“\E u io pefaris4; for. many ages , must, perhaps.pass
|i'ëfore^thëy can be either brought to assist in cultiya ting-mite
lia n a ©reunited IntoJ^ucH^awociefy'as might disturb, the tranquil'!
if y^ of their neighbours.